A Newcastle University researcher says Hunter industries need to become more environmentally sustainable, to survive a climate change future.

Gary Ellem is one of several researchers to address a climate change forum tonight in Lake Macquarie, organised by the university's Tom Farrell Institute.

Dr Ellem says while the region depends on the coal industry, it also needs to support efforts to reduce its carbon footprint.

"One of the interesting things we talk about is that we really don't make our money out of coal, we make our money out of the coal supply chain that develops all of the material for the coal sector," he said.

"So you can think of the coal sector as a large scale consumer of energy and technology resources.

"If we set it up so that they buy the right kind of products, then that actually turns the coal sector supply chain into the clean tech sector that's based in the Hunter."

Lake Macquarie Council's sustainability manager says while the city is well advanced in the race to cut greenhouse emissions, many challenges are still ahead.

Alice Howe will also speak at tonight's forum.

Dr Howe says Lake Macquarie residents are committed to protect the environment but they also face added costs to reduce their carbon footprint.

"We've really had a great uptake of things, for example, like solar voltaics in the city so far," she said.

"I think we are the leading country with that sort of uptake so people in Lake Macquarie are committed to trying to protect the environment, but also have an interest obviously, as we all do, in trying to keep the costs of living down."